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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26281879">Good Changes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/graciegrace/pseuds/graciegrace'>graciegrace</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship Development, Gen, brief appearances by Sora and Kairi, implied sorikai - Freeform, sometime post-kh3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:55:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26281879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/graciegrace/pseuds/graciegrace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected reunion makes them aware of all of the little things that have changed since the last time they met.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Axel &amp; Naminé &amp; Riku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Good Changes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lea entered the apartment with a sigh, somewhere between exhaustion and contentment, and sunk back on the door. He’d been up early running errands with Isa, which was one of the most run-you-ragged tasks imaginable, but at the same time, it felt vaguely... domestic. Knocking out Heartless with his Keyblade in one world and getting groceries in another wasn’t the kind of life he’d expected to live back in the Castle That Never Was. Not that he’d really expected to live much of a life at all, there. </p>
<p>Standing up, he thought he felt a breeze coming in the room. He put bags down in the little kitchen and glanced down the hallway. Sure enough, there was a door open at the end, and the sound of fluttering curtains and tiny echoes of the crowd below. </p>
<p>Lea walked down the hallway slowly, peering into the brightly colored room from the side. “You alright, Naminé? I didn’t think you were home.” </p>
<p>The girl in question glanced up from an easel, and another head came up across the room, eyes moving from pages of a book to himself. </p>
<p>“Hi,” Naminé said, smiling softly. “I’m alright. Riku’s here, too.” </p>
<p>“I can see that,” Lea chuckled, and nodded towards the younger boy, who give him a half-smile in return before returning to his book. “How long have you two been here?” </p>
<p>“A couple hours,” Naminé said, her gaze already back to her paper, where she was making long strokes with charcoal. “Riku lets me draw him while he reads.” </p>
<p>Lea gestured to the window seat in her room and she nodded. He sat down, slouching against the pane and stretching his legs out to the floor. “You didn’t wanna go with the others?” </p>
<p>“Mm, not today,” she said slowly, brow creased in concentration. “It’s quieter here.” </p>
<p>“Where are they, anyway?” Riku asked, looking back up between Lea and Naminé. </p>
<p>“The beach. Last I knew, they’d found me at the market and were raiding my wallet saying something about expensive watermelon before running off. I think they were excited about using Pence’s new camera.” He smiled fondly in recollection. The money didn’t matter, really, not if they were happy. Seeing them with such bright smiles, so much eagerness... it was something he never got to have, and he was happy to let them have it. </p>
<p>“It’s the kind of camera that prints out the pictures you take automatically, right? The five of them were taking photos with it yesterday around town. I think there’s a big stack of pictures of dogs around here, somewhere,” Naminé giggled. </p>
<p>“That sounds nice,” Riku said. He and Lea never really spoke much, but it wasn’t anything unfriendly. Any remaining tension between any of them had been stomped out over Sora frantically trying to get everyone together and playing games at the beach. It did remind him, though- </p>
<p>“It’s been a while since the three of us were in the same place,” Lea remarked. </p>
<p>“I looked... different,” Riku said slowly, pensively. He stared down at his feet. “I <i>was</i> different.” </p>
<p>“It feels like it’s been such a long time since then,” Naminé said. “Even though it’s not really been that long at all.” </p>
<p>“People change fast,” Lea said, shrugging, and turning to Riku. “Thanks for that, by the way. Letting us go that day. I’m sure Ansem wasn’t happy about it, not that he really liked me anyway.” </p>
<p>“It was the right thing to do,” said Riku simply, turning the page of the book. “No one else deserved to bear the brunt of his grudges, anyway.” </p>
<p>“Did you know Ansem the Wise that well?” Naminé asked, putting down her charcoal and turning to him. </p>
<p>“Not very well, but he definitely knew me. Wasn’t a big fan of mine, considering I broke into the castle a couple times.” Naminé and Riku both looked at him, eyebrows shooting up. “Story for another time.” </p>
<p>“I forgot you weren’t from here,” Riku said, looking a little surprised. He gave the open book another appraising glance before finally closing it, seeming to give up the task for the time being. “You and Kairi are both from Radiant Garden.” </p>
<p>Lea waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, but it wasn’t really home. I like it better here, and I bet you anything Kairi feels the same way about the islands. It was nice, but too quiet. Not enough places where you can cause trouble,” he joked. </p>
<p>“Huh,” Naminé said quietly, looking past him and through the window. Down below, kids were shouting and running in the street, and a faint piney smell wafted up to them. Whether it was from the Bistro or the woods, he wasn’t really sure. “I think I feel the same way about this place,” she said softly. “But Castle Oblivion wasn’t exactly a home to begin with.” </p>
<p>Riku snorted. “Not really, no.” He studied her face for a moment. “You seem happier here, though.” </p>
<p>Naminé smiled gently in response and looked back to the paper, flipping the sheet over and clipping a new one down. </p>
<p>“What about you?” Lea asked, and Riku turned to him. </p>
<p>“Me?” </p>
<p>“You were gone for a long time, right? Those islands still feel like home to you?” </p>
<p>Riku’s brow creased, concentrated and, if Lea didn’t know better, looking a little bashful. “More or less.” </p>
<p>“More when Sora and Kairi are there,” Naminé teased, and Riku glared at her, but without any real heat to it. Naminé laughed. </p>
<p>“Speaking of, where are the other two musketeers?” Lea asked, and Riku’s attention snapped back to him. </p>
<p>“Oh, they’re at the Land of Departure training with Aqua today. I had the day off.” </p>
<p>“Reading on your day off? Sad.” Lea tsked and shook his head ruefully. “Being a Master must be seriously boring.” </p>
<p>“I do have two years of school to catch up on,” Riku said, gesturing to the former object of his attention. Lea glanced at the cover, then at the short stack of books beside him. </p>
<p>“Ah, studying on your day off. That’s what high school’s all about. Honestly, I’m kind of glad I didn’t have to finish it.” </p>
<p>“It’s not so bad,” Riku said, but Lea could see the lie in his eyes. “Physics is pretty interesting.” </p>
<p>“He means he loves it,” Naminé chimed in. “More than history, anyway.” </p>
<p>Riku grimaced, looking as though he was suppressing a groan at the sheer mention of it. “The history of the Destiny Islands isn’t long enough to have multiple classes dedicated to it. Anyway, it’s not all bad, and I’m not as bad at keeping up with my work as Sora and Kairi are.” </p>
<p>“Throwing them under the bus, huh?” Lea joked, and the teenagers laughed. “It’s good to have friends to share that with, though.” </p>
<p>A buzzing sound suddenly emanated from near Riku, and he pulled his Gummiphone out of his pocket. “That’s Sora now,” he said, answering the call. “Hey.” </p>
<p>“Hi, Riku!” came twin shouts from across the phone. Lea saw Riku grin at the faces of his best friends turning it sideways to see both of them. “How’s your day off?” </p>
<p>“Not much of a day off,” he admitted, “because of chemistry.” </p>
<p>“You don’t have to work all the time, you know, Riku,” Lea heard Sora say from the device. “You could come hang out with us.” </p>
<p>“Actually, I’m here with friends already,” Riku said, turning the camera to pan over to Naminé and himself. Naminé waved sweetly, and he shot off a two finger salute. </p>
<p>“Hey, guys.” </p>
<p>“I didn’t know you were over there!” Kairi said. “Is Naminé using you for practice too?” Naminé shot her a look, and Kairi giggled. “I’m kidding. Are you keeping Riku company?” </p>
<p>“Sure are,” Lea said. “He’s actually not too bad to talk to, when he’s not being all stoic.” </p>
<p>“He’s right,” Naminé chimed in. “And,” she said, narrowing her eyes at Kairi (but failing to keep off her smile), “he’s an excellent drawing reference.” </p>
<p>The three islanders all laughed, even though it wasn’t all that funny. Riku turned the phone back to himself and smiled widely at them, and Lea could see the others grinning back. </p>
<p>“We won’t keep you, then,” Sora said cheerfully. “Especially since Aqua’s calling us back to practice, anyway.”</p>
<p>Riku snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, that sounds about right. I’ll see you guys tonight.” </p>
<p>“Tonight’s so long from now, though,” Kairi dramatically sighed. </p>
<p>“We miss you!” Sora pouted. </p>
<p>Riku rolled his eyes. “You two are a mess. Stop stalling and listen to Aqua. I’ll be over for dinner later.” </p>
<p>There was a chorus of “bye!” and when it finally ended Riku shook his head, but his eyes looked fond. </p>
<p>“You’ve really known them forever, huh?” Lea said, chuckling, and Riku rolled his eyes again. </p>
<p>“Probably too long. They’re getting to me.” </p>
<p>“Oh, don’t say that,” Naminé said, and smiled at him. “They love you.” </p>
<p>“I know,” Riku said, a nostalgic look on his face. “I should probably get back to work, too, though. I don’t wanna make them look too good.” </p>
<p>Naminé shook her head good-humoredly. “If you say so,” she said, adjusting the angle of the charcoal in her hand.  </p>
<p>“I’m gonna head out,” Lea said, standing and stretching his long legs out. “‘M supposed to meet Isa up somewhere later. You two stay out of trouble.” </p>
<p>“Alright,” Naminé said, smiling at him. Riku nodded in his direction, re-opening the abandoned textbook and pulling a tab of notes towards himself. </p>
<p>Heading for the door, Lea gazed one last time at the window, the streets still full of noise and boisterous play. He turned back to the room, with two quiet kids inside it, and walls painted like the ocean and the sky with stars twinkling in the black of the ceiling. She was so soft-spoken it was easy to forget how full of life she was, how talented. He stopped at the threshold.</p>
<p>“You know,” he said, and two pairs of blue eyes turned to look at him expectantly. “We have all changed since the last time the three of us were together.” He stepped out of the room and towards the kitchen, ready to unpack the groceries he’d left on the counter earlier. He called out over his shoulder. </p>
<p>“I think it’s for the better.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was written as a gift for my older sister, who particularly loves the scene in Kingdom Hearts II where Riku allows Naminé and Axel to escape from DiZ, and I decided to expand upon that dynamic sometime after Kingdom Hearts III. She’s always supplying me with writing prompts and inspiration, and it’s only fair some of that goes into writing things specifically for her- but I hope you all enjoyed it too! Please let me know what you think in the comments or kudos!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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